Mattress making mechanism



Dec. 8, 1936.

T. B. OBRIEN MATTRESS MAKING MECHANISM Filed Aug. s, 1955 s sheets-sheet1 INVENTOR Jmmwk @75m BY W f Dec. 8, 1936. T.B. oBRlr-:N

MATTRESS MAKING MECHANISM Filed Aug. I5, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Begg- 2INVENTOR hnw/Mgam BY JKM ATTORNEY Dec. 8, 1936. T, B, OBRlEN 2,063,521

MATTRESS MAKING MEGHANSM 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 5, 1.935

ffi# I ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 8, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7Claims.

My invention relates to means whereby the mechanism for partiallyforming empty mattress casings and the like, and then for completing theclosing of such casings after the core has been inserted, are combined.

Objects of my invention are to produce a mechanism adapted for sewingthe sides and edges of the casing together, both when lying flat orhorizontally and when presented to the l sewing mechanism at an angle tothe horizontal;

to accomplish this by the use of a sewing machine with a verticallyreciprocating needle, combined with a work table which may be disposedeither in a horizontal plane or at an angle to that plane; to move thework table, optionally, by hand or by power; to provide means forvarying the angle of inclination of the work table; to provide means foroptionally varying the height of the work table; to provide novel meansfor the mechanical feeding of the work table; tof provide novel meansfor holding the work in position on the table; and to secure the otheradvantages hereinafter pointed out.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my improved apparatus,portions being shown in section the better to illustrate thetable-feeding mechanism, the portion of one of the feed table supportinglegs being broken` away for clearness; Fig. 2 is a plan view of thesame, portions of the work table being broken away to show the mechanismbeneath, parts of the table track frame being also broken out to savespace; Fig. 3 is an end View taken as on the lines 3-3 of Fig. 1,looking to the right, but omitting the work table and its supports; Fig.4 is a detail of the work holding clamp; Fig. 5 shows a modication forraising and lowering the hinged edge of the work table; and Fig. 6 is adetail.

I is a conventional sewing machine head provided with a reciprocatingneedle 2 cooperating, in a conventional way, with a looper, not shown,below the level of the sewing machine table. This sewing mechanism isdriven by means of a belt 3 and pulley 4 actuating a shaft, not shown,in the sewing machine head. As I do not claim novelty in this part ofthe apparatus I have considered it unnecessary to show in detail themechanical parts, as they are well known in the art.

VThe head I is mounted on suitable supports as 5, 6, spaced by suitablestay bolts 1, 'I and 8, 8, and carrying bearings for a driving shaft 3and feed shaft I 0.

A suitable source of power, as an electric motor II, through pulley I2,belt I3, pulley I4, shaft I5, pulley I6 and belt II (the parts II to I6being omitted from Fig. l, for clearness) transmits motion to idler I8or, optionally, fixed pulley I9, upon the drive shaft 9, which through apulley and belt 3, drives the sewing machine needle, and also through apulleyv 2l, belt 22 and pulley 23, drives the feed shaft III. On thefree end of the feed shaft II) is a pinion 24. This feed shaft IIl is,preferably, provided with a bearing at which permits the shaft to rockthrough the bearing. I have illustrated this bearing as consisting of aball and socket arrangement; but this construction may be modified, ifdesired, so long as the shaft III has the requisite play. On the support6 I provide a vertically sliding bearing support 26 which carries twoears 21, 2l through which pass pins 28, 28, carrying a bearing sleeve 29so that it may rock and adapt itself to the line of the shaft II) whendeflected from the horizontal.

The bearing support 26 is pivoted, as at 29, to a rocking arm 33,connected at its other end to a rod 3l, pivoted below to a pedal 32controlling a rocking shaft 33 journalled at the base of the machine.From the shaft 33 an arm 34 extends upward and is provided with a slot35 accommodating a pin 33 fastened to a shifting bar 3'! reciprocatablein fixed bearings 33, 39 and provided with belt shifting. fingers 4l),40 controlling the belt Il. f

On suitable supports as 43, 43 is mounted a frame 44 the upper edges ofwhich constitute parallel tracks adapted to carry travelling rollers.

Another preferably rectangular frame 45 has journalled to it flangedwheels 46, 46, adapted to travel to and fro on the tracks on the frame44.

To one side and above the frame 45 is hinged, as at 41, a frame 48,supporting a fiat work table 49, which normally lies in a horizontalplane, but may be tipped up and held at an angle, as by a supportpivoted to the frame 45, its free end being adapted to rest ln either ofa series of sockets 5|, 5I on the under side of the table topi. Such aprop and sockets are preferably provided toward each end of the table.

To one side of the frame 45 is attached a rack bar 54 extendingpractically the whole length of the frame 45. With this rack bar 54 thepinion 24 is adapted to intermesh when brought into proper position. InFig. 5 I have shown a modi` cation which permits varying the height ofthe table 49 above the frame 44. In this modication instead of thewheels 46, 46 being mounted directly on the frame 45, they are carriedby members 55, 55 each carrying a slotted extension 56, the extensionbeing omitted from the right hand member 55, for clearness. Through theslots in those extensions 56 bolts 5l pass into the frame 45. Themembers 55, 55 are slidably connected, as by bolt and slot elements,with an upward extension of the rack bar 54; and the members 55, 55 maybe drawn toward or away from each other by means of the rod 58 threadedthrough ears on the members 55, 55. The result of this arrangement isthat the table top 49 can be raised or lowered relative to the frame 44,the advantage of which will be hereinafter pointed out.

In order to hold the work on the table it is desired to have somepositive appliance which will grasp the work.

In Fig. 4 I have illustrated such an appliance wherein a pivoted finger6|, carried by an eX- tension G2, fastened to the frame 48 is controlledby a locking lever 63 so that it may be tightly clamped against the workupon the table. Toi avoid confusion I have omitted this clamp from thedrawing of Fig. 1.

From the above description it will be seen that the sewing machine andthe table-feed mechanism may be both operated simultaneously from thesame source of power and may be controlled by the pedal 32. For when thepedal is pushed down the belt shifter will shift the belt 40 on to thepulley I9, thus putting the sewing mechanism into operation and, at thesame time, if the pedal is depressed suiciently, raising the bearing 29so as to swing the shaft l0 upward and cause its pinion 24 to mesh withthe rack 54 thereby moving the table forward past the needle.

The swing of the shaft IU is so adjusted that by easing up on the pedal32 the pinion 24 may be dropped out of operative connection with therack 54 before the belt l1 has been fully shifted off the pulley I9 onto the idler I8; so that the feeding of the work table may be suspendedwithout, necessarily, stopping the sewing machine needle. This isdesirable under certain circumstances, as, for instance, the sewing of acorner of the mattress cover, where the material must be swung around,by hand, so as to produce a curved seam instead of a straight seam. Italso permits the drawing back of the work table, periodically, withoutnecessarily stopping the sewing machine; and it also allows the table tobe fed forward by hand if circumstances make that desirable.

Suitable means, as the spring 66, returns the pedal and its connectedparts to a normal position.

With the table in its horizontal position the flat work of sewing thesides and the edge web of the mattress together may be proceeded with,the work being preferably clamped to the table and carried by it pastthe needle at a rate suitable for the formation of the seam.

In practice I iind it desirable to sew up all eight of the roundedcorners of the mattress case as well as to sew up all of the edge seams,except at one end between two corners, before inserting a spring core,which is, preferably, bent or folded longitudinally so that it will passthrough the opening afforded by the unclosed seam, and into the interiorof the casing.

When this has been done it becomes necessary to sew up the unclosed endseam, taping it in a customary manner like the rest of the seams..

The mechanism for applying the tape I have omitted from the drawings, asit is not part of my invention, and is well understood in the art.

The open seam above referred to, obviously, cannot be closed bypresenting the mattress flatwise to the needle, in a plane at rightangles to the needle. For the seam could not be brought under theneedle, under those conditions, without the edge of the mattressblocking the operation of the needle. Hence some other method of closingthe seam must be provided.

As has been explained, the work table top may be tilted up into aninclined position, for instance, as illustrated by the broken lines inFig. 1, the extent of inclination being adjusted to the thickness of themattress, so that with the mattress lying at on the table its upperedge, where the seam is open, may be brought directly beneath theneedle, as illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 6, in which 1B indicatesan end of the mattress. To present the mattress in this position to theneedle, it is necessary that the table 'H of the sewing machine shallnot project forward beyond the needle so as to interfere with bringingthe seam properly under the needle, the support usually given by thefixed table of the sewing machine being furnished by the work table 4s.Now when the work table is tilted up so as to present the upper edge ofthe f mattress below the needle, as illustrated in Fig. 6, the edges l2,'I3 of the unclosed seam will lap over the edge of the table 'H and willbe supported in that position by the tilted table 49, so that the edgeof the mattress may be fed along below the needle, and the seam properlysewed up from above so that the stitching will correspond with thestitching of the rest of the seam which has also been sewn from above.To accomplish this it is necessary not only that the table 'Il shouldnot project materially beyond the path of the needle, but also that theshuttle mechanism and other attachments under the table ll shall be setsufficiently far back, so that they will not be fouled by the mattresswhen its edge is presented, as above, to the needle.

Some variation in the thickness of the mattresses may be compensated forby tipping the table 49 more or less. But, as already explained, if thevariation is considerable the hinges of the table may be raised orlowered as may be desirable, by some suitable mechanism such, forinstance, as is illustrated in Fig. 5.

By the use of my improvements I secure a mattress making mechanismadapted to sew the particular seams required in a mattress casing, bothwhen the casing is empty and also when the core has been inserted, and,I combine with such a machine an automatically fed work table adapted tosupport the casing during its formation, and also the mattress after thecore has been inserted, such work table being adjustable so as topresent work in a normal horizontal plane to the needle. and also topresent a filled mattress case to the needle in such a way that theupper edge seam of the mattress may lie normally beneath the needle; andI also provide a positive, but optionally releasable, table feed whichwill either carry the table and its superimposed material past theneedle at a predetermined speed, or which may be moved by hand, as theoperator desires, or the exigencies of the work require. Thus the sewingtogether of the parts of the mattress casing and the closing of thecasing after the core has been inserted may all be done on the sameapparatus and the finished mattress produced in which the lines ofstitching are uniform and complete.

I wish it to be understood that details of my mechanism can be varied,as by the use of mechanical equivalents, without departing from thespirit of my invention as described and claimed.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent of the United States is:

l. In a mattress making apparatus, the combination of a sewing machineembodying a needle reciprocable vertically in close proximity to theforward edge of the machine table, a normally horizontally disposedtraveling and cooperating work-carrying table pivoted at a pointsubstantially below its top and substantially removed from its edgeadjacent to the said needle, so that said edge is tiltable andadjustable toward and below the machine table edge at a plurality ofselected angles and distances, whereby the adjacent edges of a filledmattress and a boxing may be brought into position below said needle forthe formation of a seam downwardly and outwardly therethrough.

2. In a mattress making apparatus, the combination of a sewing machineembodying a needle reciprocable vertically in close proximity t theforward edge of the machine table, a cooperating ywork-carrying tablenormally at the level of and adjacent to the forward edge of the machinetable, table feeding means, and means embodying a hinge substantiallyremoved from the edge of said table, for depressing it below thestitching line of the sewing machine, to the extent of the selectedthickness of a completed mattress and elevating the opposite edge of thetable, whereby the adjacent edges of the mattress and the boxing may bepresented below the needle for the formation of a seam downwardly andoutwardly therethrough.

3. In a mattress making apparatus, the combination of a sewing machineembodying a needle reciprocable vertically in close proximity to theforward edge of the machine table, a cooperating work-carrying tablenormally at the level of and adjacent to the forward edge of the machinetable, common means for actuating the sewing machine and propelling thework-carrying table forward relativer thereto, or optionally releasingthe work-carrying table, such propelling means embodying a driven shaftpassing through a reciprocable bearing and provided with a terminalpinion to optionally engage a rack connected with said work-carryingtable, means for depressing the adjacent edge of said table, below thestitching line of the sewing machine, to the extent of the selectedthickness of a completed mattress and elevating its opposite edge,whereby the adjacent edges ofthe upper side of the mattress and theboxing may be presented below the needle for the formation of a seamdownwardly and outwardly therethrough.

4. In a mattress making appartus, the combination of a sewing machineembodying a needle reciprocable vertically in close proximity to theforward edge of the machine table, a cooperating work-carrying tablenormally at the level of and adjacent to the forward edge of the machinetable, common means for actuating the sewing machine and propelling thework-carrying table forward relative thereto, common control means forthe said actuating and propelling means, and means for depressing 4theadjacent edge of said table, below the stitching line of the sewingmachine, to the extent of the selected thickness of a completed mattressand raising the opposite edge of the table, whereby the adjacent edgesof the upper side of the mattress and the boxing may be presented belowthe needle for the formation of a seam therethrough. k

5. In a mattress making apparatus, the combination of a sewing machineembodying a needle reciprocable vertically in close proximity to theforward edge of the machine table, a cooperating work-carrying tablenormally at the level of and adjacent to the forward edge of the machinetable, common means for actuating the sewing machine and propelling thework-carrying table forward relative thereto, or optionally releasingthe work-carrying table, and means, including vertically adjustablehinges, substantially removed from and below said table edge, fordepressing the edge of said table, below the stitching line of thesewing machine, to the extent of the selected thickness of a completedmattress and raising the opposite edge of the table, whereby theadjacent edges of the upper side of the mattress and the boxing may bepresented below the needle for the formation of a seam downwardly andoutwardly therethrough.

6. In a mattress making apparatus the combination of a sewing machineembodying a needle reciprocable vertically in close proximity to thefixed, forward edge of the machine table, a work support disposablesubstantially in the plane of said table and adjacent to its said edge,but independent thereof, means for optionally depressing the edge of thework support adjacent to said table at an angle downwardly toward andbelow its level, and work support feeding means; whereby the apparatusmay be used for sewing a fiat seam, or optionally a seam from abovedownward and outward through the adjacent edges of the boxing and upperside of a cored mattress.

7. In a mattress making apparatus the combination of a sewing machineembodying a needle reciprocable vertically in close proximity to thefixed, forward edge of the machine table, a work support disposablesubstantially in the plane of said table and adjacent to its said edge,but independent thereof, means for optionally depressing the edge of thework support adjacent to said table downwardly toward and below saidtable for variable distances and at variable angles, and work supportfeeding means; whereby the apparatus may be used for sewing a flat seam,or optionally a seam from above downward and outward at a variable anglethrough the adjacent edges of the boxing and upper side of a coredmattress of several optional thicknesses.

THOMAS BOLTON OBRIEN.

